Spirit of Justice
Image: Capcom

For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for good soon and, for one reason or another, these eShop-exclusives are close to our hearts.

Today, Kate objects to another Ace Attorney soon to be barred from the console realm...

So, what's it called?

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice.

Who made it?

Capcom, natch.

What's the premise?

The dark age of the law continues in this third part of the story of Apollo Justice and Trucy Wright, as Phoenix Wright is off to the fictional country of Khura’in, where Maya Fey is training to become a master of the Kurain Channelling Technique.

However, they quickly become embroiled in murder cases and a deeply-rooted corruption within the country, and it’s up to them to solve the crimes within the untrustworthy legal system at the heart of Khura’in’s unfair trials.

Back at home, Trucy Wright, Apollo Justice, and Athena Cykes are taking on regular murder cases, which will also have implications for Khura’in and Phoenix’s small, unusual family…

In the DLC case, Turnabout Time Traveler, you’ll also be tasked with defending a bride who claims to have gone back in time and relived her wedding day twice in order to escape being attacked by her former co-worker. However, when the man who attacked her (at the first wedding) is found dead, her story begins to unravel.

Why should I play it?

Much like Dual Destinies, the preceding Ace Attorney game (also an eShop exclusive soon to disappear), Spirit of Justice is a must-play for anyone who loves visual novels, high-stakes drama, character-driven stories, and more plot twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie marathon.

And again like Dual Destinies, we have no idea if Capcom will ever release this game on a console outside of the 3DS eShop. Grab the game and the DLC even if you’ve only played the original trilogy – it’s not our all-time favourite Ace Attorney game, because the Khura’in legal system is silly even by Ace Attorney standards, but it’s a brilliant addition to the series all the same.

How much is it?

$29.99USD / £19.99 / €24.99.

The DLC is an extra $5.99USD / £3.99 / €4.99.


We'll be back soon with another 3DS or Wii U eShop recommendation as part of this 'Countdown' series. Let us know below if you've already got this in your collection and share your thoughts. Also, feel free to nominate other games — we just might highlight those in the coming days, too.